Над пропастью во ржи

           Shewasveryniceaboutit,theoldlady.Shetookthenoteoffmeandcalledsomeotherlady,fromthenextoffice,andtheotherladywenttogiveittoPhoebe.ThentheoldladythatwasaroundahundredyearsoldandIshotthebreezeforawhile,Shewasprettynice,andItoldherhowI’dgonetheretoschool,too,andmybrothers.SheaskedmewhereIwenttoschoolnow,andItoldherPencey,andshesaidPenceywasaverygoodschool.EvenifI’dwantedto,Iwouldn’thavehadthestrengthtostraightenherout.Besides,ifshethoughtPenceywasaverygoodschool,letherthinkit.Youhatetotellnewstufftosomebodyaroundahundredyearsold.Theydon’tliketohearit.Then,afterawhile,Ileft.Itwasfunny.Sheyelled"Goodluck!"atmethesamewayoldSpencerdidwhenIleftPencey.God,howIhateitwhensomebodyyells"Goodluck!"atmewhenI’mleavingsomewhere.It’sdepressing.

           Iwentdownbyadifferentstaircase,andIsawanother"Fuckyou"onthewall.Itriedtorubitoffwithmyhandagain,butthisonewasscratchedon,withaknifeorsomething.Itwouldn’tcomeoff.It’shopeless,anyway.Ifyouhadamillionyearstodoitin,youcouldn’truboutevenhalfthe"Fuckyou"signsintheworld.It’simpossible.

           Ilookedattheclockintherecessyard,anditwasonlytwentytotwelve,soIhadquitealotoftimetokillbeforeImetoldPhoebe.ButIjustwalkedovertothemuseumanyway.Therewasn’tanyplaceelsetogo.IthoughtmaybeImightstopinaphoneboothandgiveoldJaneGallagherabuzzbeforeIstartedbummingmywaywest,butIwasn’tinthemood.Foronething,Iwasn’tevensureshewashomeforvacationyet.SoIjustwentovertothemuseum,andhungaround.